Chapter 70
Demon Subduing Hall
In truth, I could not say that I had fully grasped the secret techniques of Thunder Shadow Step and Heavenly Pillar Kill. I had a rough understanding of how to use Heavenly Pillar Kill, but controlling the flow of vital energy in detail to unleash its full power remained impossible. I had yet to reach the level where I could skillfully evade an enemy’s attacks like my older brother Jin So-cheong, who had toyed with the sword strikes of a prominent disciple from the Zhongnan Sect. While I might be able to match him in momentary speed, that was entirely reliant on my internal power.
Mastering Heavenly Pillar Kill required innate talent or tremendous effort. When I said I had ‘mastered’ it, it merely meant I had reached a level where I could imitate its use. This was precisely why I sought to gain real combat experience against a master. I believed that if I could heighten my concentration on vital energy in a life-or-death struggle, it would naturally be assimilated into my body.
Whooooooosh…
It had been about a month since I resided in this house. During this time, I focused on reviewing and practicing the martial arts I had learned, including Thunder Shadow Step and Heavenly Pillar Kill. I also endeavored to improve my control over the scattered vital energy throughout my Eight Extraordinary Meridians. While this may seem insignificant, I believed that the entire process of training would be beneficial to me.
‘No, this is too difficult.’
Today, once again, I felt frustrated as I was unable to execute Heavenly Pillar Kill properly. The intricate maneuvers were far too challenging. If I could master this technique, it would apply broadly to my martial arts, making me faster and stronger. Why then was it so hard?
I needed some kind of breakthrough.
I had a gut feeling that I needed to elevate my skills at least one level before the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament.